At the second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in April this year, Indonesia took its first careful steps toward embracing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Indonesia when President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced 30 projects worth US$91.1billion for Chinese “Belt and Road” investment. Since then, it has become clear that Indonesia is attempting to define clearly what the BRI means in Indonesia, and which projects fall under the umbrella of the initiative.

But apart from clarifying what is and is not in China’s 21^st century Silk Road, Indonesia is also hoping to avoid certain pitfalls that have become synonymous with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s flagship program.

“We learned from other countries' – especially Asian countries’ – experience in difficulties when they deal with the Belt and Road Initiative,” Atmadji Sumarkidjo, an expert staffer to the coordinating maritime affairs minister, told The Jakarta Post. “So we’ve proposed that it should not only be BRI but also the Global Maritime Fulcrum of Pak Joko Widodo. The Chinese agreed to our preconditions if they want investment in any kind of project here in Indonesia.”